Bruins' Torey Krug hoping he'll be back with Boston when hockey returns

Ever since the coronavirus pandemic shut down the entire sporting world, there have been a lot more questions than answers. For some players, including Boston's Torey Krug, the biggest question of all might be which jersey they'll be pulling on next time they suit up.

Krug is in the final year of his contract with the Bruins, and he has no idea how the ongoing pause in the NHL season will affect his future with the team.

"We haven't had any talks since this thing has started," he told reporters in a video call on Tuesday. "I can't speak for any other UFA that's in a position like I am but in terms of my situation here in Boston we haven't continued any talks or made any progress in that regard."

The 28-year-old defenseman has been in quarantine at his in-law's home in Michigan since the pause went into effect. Like most other people in America, he's been biding his time while social distancing measures are still in place.

"I'm just like everyone else, hopefully practicing the social distancing cues that we've all been instructed to," he said. "Enjoying the time being with family, obviously... just like everyone else, I'm itching for things to get back to normal."

Like everybody else, he has no idea when, or if, the 2019-20 NHL season will resume. He's optimistic that it will, but he emphasized that whatever format the league decides on to finish the season must be fair to everyone involved.

"It's something that a lot of people are considering at this moment," Krug said. "With so many different unknowns it's tough to understand what our circumstances will be and what will be available to us, whether that's back to normal buildings with fans involved or empty arenas. For me, I think it's just a fairness thing. As long as everyone is in a situation where the playing field is level and we're all able to compete for a Stanley Cup, that's our ultimate goal."

One possibility he mentioned was the idea of neutral site games for the playoffs, which could reportedly even take place in North Dakota due to the state's sparse population.

"I don't know how it's going to play out. None of us will," he said. "It's almost a great opportunity to get creative and see what we can come up with, but in terms of restoring the integrity of the game, you've got to make sure that we're not doing anything crazy and that we can able to look back on it and hang our hats on it and be proud of what we were able to do in these circumstances."

Whenever the NHL does return, Krug hopes that he's still a member of the Bruins.

"I really hope I didn't play my last game as a Boston Bruin," he said. "It’s been a great place for me and my family to grow. My love for the game and playing in front of these fans, it’s been very special for me."

Unfortunately for him, the pandemic has thrown everything up in the air.

"It hasn’t given me any clarity," he said. "If anything it’s made me wonder about this process a little more because I was just in the moment and playing games to help my team win and hopefully push us in the right direction to win a championship, and now with this season paused, I’ve definitely wondered about what’s going to happen."